The Liquid Alchemist
by AkaiyukiDaten-shi
Summary: Kei, a girl who has grown up with no knowledge of the human world or alchemy, finds herself escorted by the Elric brothers after getting caught by the soldiers at Briggs stronghold. What will they find out about this mysterious girl, and will she be one of the people needed to complete what the homunculi have planned?
1. Girl

**Chapter One**

**A Cold Wind Blows**

Waking up, the small girl stretched her arms high over her head. Blinking her eyes, she stood up and looked at the sky. It was mid-afternoon, and her nap had given her the rest she had needed for days.

Letting out a quick growl, she called her friend and companion, Ro, to her. The large puma was easily twice her size, and had smooth, well groomed fur. Ro let out a little purr of laughter as he saw the girl. Her hair was all messed up from the nap.

Noticing her friend's laugh, she walked over to the stream they had camped near. Clapping her hands and touching the water, she formed a small area of water that was very smooth, enough to function as a mirror.

After she had fixed her hair, she picked up the only belonging she had. It was a little stone horse, and she had had it since before she could remember. Ro paced around a tall pine tree, waiting for his friend.

"_Ro, will you stop that?" _she said in puma, the only language she knew. "_I know you want to get going. Pacing won't make me go faster."_

"_Fine, fine, but can we go already? It's your name day, Kei. Mama gave you the name you have now ten years ago! It's the most important day of the year, so we have to celebrate!" _Ro was excited. He was looking forward to a day full of fun, and at least one hunt. Kei was getting especially good at hunts.

"_All right, all right. Let's go,"_ Kei replied. She was less excited than Ro, but she was happy anyways. A name day only came around once a year. She and Ro left the camp they had set up untouched. It was time to head north, towards the fluffy, white snow.

Kei climbed to the top of a tree. Her eyes were almost as good as a hawk's, and she soon spotted what she was looking for. A long dirt path made its way up to a bigger area with strangely shaped trees.

There were a lot of things moving about down near the trees. Things that looked like she did and walked like she did. Kei guessed that it was probably a gathering, and happily decided to stay away.

Leaping from branch to branch, she was soon on the forest floor, standing besides her companion. After another quick discussion, she led her friend around the place with the weird trees.

Sounds reached her heightened senses, but she couldn't understand them. It was as if the things that looked like her were speaking gibberish, and that made her wary. It might have been a different language, but to her it sounded bad.

Finally, Kei and Ro reached the snowy forests of the north. Kei, not having fur like Ro did, was shivering. Ro went bounding off to hunt, and about two hours later he came back with an elk.

"_Whoa, n-n-nice catch!" _Kei said, trying to suppress her shivers. Ro looked sadly at her shaking body, trying to think of a way to help.

"_Try wearing the pelt of the elk! It might warm you up. Use your magic on the snow to make it melt. You could wash the blood off of it," _Ro suggested. Kei smiled. She liked Ro's idea, and did just what he suggested.

About fifteen minutes later, Kei was wet, but warm. To let it dry, she took a nap while curled up in Ro's soft fur. Once she woke up, she pulled on the pelt and continued on their way, farther into the snowy mountains.

**In Briggs - Edward and Alphonse**

Sitting in the small jail cell, the two brothers contemplated their capture. It wasn't really strange to them, being captured _again_. That had happened to them... how many times? It was just something that delayed their search.

Some of the soldiers from Briggs came to their cell, talking about how the brothers had saved some of the soldiers. Ed had helped get rid of the homunculus, which had dug deep underneath the fortress.

This caused Ed to question the sanity of those stationed at Briggs. Why would they cage up someone who had helped them in a time of need? It was just too weird, the way those people did things.

Ed let out a sigh. "Al, when do you think they'll let us out?" he asked his brother.

"When they need us," Al replied. Again, Ed sighed.

"Yeah, well, that's obvious." The two brothers tried to take a nap.

When they woke up, they saw some soldiers struggling with a small girl wrapped in a furry cloth. Another person dragged in a caged mountain lion, which was desperately trying to reach the girl.

Listening closer to what was going on, Ed heard two sets of growls. One was from the mountain lion, but the other was from the girl. He had never heard such a sound coming from a human, so he was surprised.

Al, who couldn't sleep because of his body, was watching the scene with interest. The soldiers finally managed to get the small girl into a cell, and shoved the cage of the mountain lion in with her.

"Hey, who are they?" Ed asked the nearest soldier. The man looked up in surprise, as if he hadn't noticed the other prisoners.

"Oh, it's you guys. Well, we don't know who she is, and she won't talk to us. All she does is use growls and roars. I don't think she _can_ talk," he replied.

A loud bang came from the end of the hallway that connected the cells. Storming in, Major General Armstrong looked around furiously. She didn't like threats to her stronghold and wouldn't tolerate spies.

She walked right up to the cell the girl was in. Looking her in the eyes, she stood there for a few minutes. It seemed like an eternity to Ed, and he didn't have the patience to just wait for one of them to break.

"So, what's she doing here?" Ed asked, receiving a very annoyed look from Major Miles, who had followed the general in. Armstrong stood there for a few seconds more, the glare she gave the girl sending a shiver down Ed's spine.

"Who are you?" Armstrong asked her. The girl continued to growl, which made the general angrier. "Why are you here?! Answer!"

"General! I don't think she can understand you..." Major Miles said. "Let's get her some food and water, then we might be able to figure out a way to learn more. It's not worth hurting her if she can't talk to us."

The general turned away and nodded to Miles. He gave out the orders while staring at the girl. She was trying to get the cage of the mountain lion unlocked, and failing.

Miles surprised Ed and Al by tossing her a key. What surprised them more was that instead of trying to put it in the locks, she tasted it. Ed was so shocked that his jaw dropped open, and he tried not to burst into laughter.

"Um... you put the _key_ in the _lock_, little girl," the major said, stressing the words "key" and "lock". She looked up at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"K-kei?" she asked. The major held up a bunch of keys.

"These," he replied. Shoving on into a padlock he held up, he demonstrated how to unlock something. "Key goes into lock."

Ed couldn't take it. This was so funny to him! He was laughing his ass off, trying not to fall over. His ribs were hurting, but he couldn't stop laughing. This awarded him with a glare from just about every person in the room.

"Luk..." the girl said.

"Yeah. My name is Miles," he said, pointing to himself. "Miles."

"Mi...ils... Miles!" She responded happily, pointing to the major. Switching back to the growls, halfway through they heard something close to english. "_My name is Kei! My mama gave me that name! Yesterday was my nameday."_

"You are... Kei?" Miles asked.

She nodded. Pointing to herself she began to speak again. "K-Kei. My... na-name... Kei. Miles, my name Kei."

"Kei, put the _key_ into the _lock_," Miles told the girl. She looked puzzled again, but tried to do what he told her. A little click told them she was successful, and the lock came undone. Kei pulled open the cage and let her pet out.

"Ro," she said, pointing to her pet. "_Ro, meet _Miles_. He's our friend. He's helping me speak their language. Maybe you can learn, too."_

"_Nah, I don't want to. Their language doesn't seem as complex as ours is. You should just stick to puma," _Ro growled back.

Everyone in the room was surprised. The cat spoke back to the girl? It was, again, something they had never seen before. They just stood there for a minute, and then a soldier brought food and a pitcher of water.

Seeing the water, Kei got excited. She clapped her hands together and touched it, forming an icy arc in the air. Clapping again, she turned it back into water. The look on her face was of pure joy.

Ed was astonished. Such a girl knew alchemy? Even if she did, how had she been able to clap like he did? It was strange. Ed felt a compelling need to investigate further.


	2. Discovery

**Chapter Two**

**Discovery**

It was chaotic. Kei learned more english from Major Miles, and was soon able to understand most conversations, but Major General Armstrong and the rest of the soldiers were cold to her, and she stay locked up in the prison.

In addition to that, Lieutenant General Raven was visiting, accompanied by a certain alchemist, Kimberly, the Crimson Alchemist. The General happened to be on the Fuhrer President's side, and a plot was made to trick him into revealing information.

Ed had spent time with Kei, trying to teach her more english, but she wouldn't listen to him. He had also asked how she knew alchemy. Each time she had a puzzled look on her face.

"Alchemy...? What that?" Kei asked. Ed facepalmed and explained.

"Alchemy is the understanding, deconstruction, and reconstruction of matter. You can do this with just a clap of your hands, like me! How do you not know what alchemy is? You have to know to be able to see The Gate!" Ed was frustrated. Why was this mysterious girl playing games with him?

"Oh, that what alchemy is." Kei sounded bored. "Tell me more 'bout animals."

"Only if you promise to listen to what I tell you about alchemy," Ed replied.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed. He didn't think it was good to force Kei to learn.

"Okay. Kei listen. First, animals. Then alchemy," Kei agreed. "Fair trade, okay?"

"Yeah, fair trade. Now you're getting it!" Ed was happy that she had understood the most basic rule of alchemy. After explaining more about animals and answering her many questions, he got right to alchemy.

"What is alchemy?" Kei asked.

"Like I said, it's the understanding, deconstruction, and reconstruction of matter. You can do this. It seems like you have a natural ability to use alchemy. I can do what you do, here, I'll demonstrate," Ed explained. Clapping his hands together, he touched the wall. The finished thing was a little cat statue that he handed to the girl.

Kei looked excited. She clapped her hands together and touched the wall, making a little hole. This excited her even more.

"Ed! I can do it! I can do alchemy!"

"Yeah, and what you do with water is also alchemy," he said. Standing up, Ed walked over to the door. "Can I go get some food for Kei? I haven't been let out of my cell at all recently."

Major Miles looked at him. "Sure, Fullmetal. Just let me get the key out..."

Unlocking the door, he freed the blonde alchemist. Ed took a step and yelled. He had bashed his toe into a metal bar, and stubbed toes hurt like hell. Plopping back down on the bed, he pulled off his boot and rubbed the toe he had hurt.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Ed exclaimed.

"Ow?" Kei asked.

"It's something you say when you're hurt," Al explained.

"What's... hurt?" Kei asked another question.

"When something is in pain, it was hurt, or injured," Ed explained.

"Pain? What is that? I no know pain," Kei said. Ed looked at her. He had watched the major trying to explain the feeling to her, but Major Miles had no luck. "Hold out your hand, Kei."

Kei held out her hand, and Ed transmuted his automail into its weapon form. Quickly, Ed drew the blade across Kei's palm, waiting for a gasp or a cry. None came.

He looked up at Kei's face. She looked mildly confused, like she didn't even feel the pain. Ed just looked at her, amazed.

"I know this is a really sharp blade, but come on! How can you not feel any pain? It's what happens when you get injured," Ed said.

"Brother! You really had to cut her hand to show?" Al asked, angry.

"I supposed to feel pain now? That why you made my hand bleed?" Kei asked, very intrigued. She hadn't felt anything different than normal. "I think I do not feel pain..."

"Maybe that was the thing you traded to see the Truth..." Ed thought aloud.

"Truth? What truth...! OW!" she exclaimed. "What that? Only felt for a minute, but pain is not something I like!" She had a frown on her face, like she was annoyed with Ed and Al. Something about her reaction didn't seem right.

"So... you _did_ feel pain?" Ed asked.

"Maybe. Do not know."

"Oh," Al said.

"Sorry to interrupt, but food has arrived," Miles said. He had been watching the three of them with interest, because he hadn't heard of a person who couldn't feel pain. Kei could be badly injured for all they knew. _Wait, she __could_ _be badly injured! _Miles thought.

"Alright give us the food," Ed said to the major.

"Oh, if Kei can't feel pain, she'd have no way of knowing if something was wrong with her body. I suggest a full physical exam once you're done eating," the major told them.

"Ah, you're right! Crap, that's bad! We'll have to treat her carefully until then..." Ed was surprised that Major Miles had thought of that, but was relieved. If they hadn't known... Ed didn't like the thought.

"Thanks," Al said. They ate the rest of their meal in silence. Kei fed Ro, who had been napping until his nose caught the scent of the food. Ro was eager to eat, but was very unhappy to see his friend had been injured. He growled at Ed throughout the rest of the meal.


	3. Memory

**Chapter Three**

**Escape Plan**

Kimberly's job proposal didn't interest Ed in the least. He had become a dog of the military with the resolve _not_ to kill. He didn't want to help him carve a bloody crest into the Briggs stronghold, or capture Dr. Marcoh, who was traveling with Scar.

Truthfully enough, he didn't mind capturing Scar, because he had killed Winry's parents. Ed didn't want revenge, Ed wanted to have the man be fairly judged for his crimes which he committed.

He didn't have a choice of whether or not he could accept, though, because they even brought Winry to Briggs to show them they had control over her. It was a bad situation for the brothers.

"I'll have to talk it over with Al and Winry," Ed said. Kimberly smiled evilly. Everything was going according to plan, and Ed was being forced to accept.

"Okay, just don't tell her more than she needs to know," Kimberly replied.

"Fine."

Ed walked back to the cell where Winry and Al waited. Sitting down, he explained everything to them, down to every last detail that he was allowed to tell Winry. They were shocked at first, then outraged.

"Why...? Why am I dragging you two down again?!" Winry yelled. She was very close to tears, but held them back. She had promised that she would cry tears of joy next time.

"What?" Kei said. Ed had forgotten that she was also there, and jumped from surprise. "Winry angry?"

"No, Kei. I'm just... sad," Winry replied, looking at her new friend.

"Oh. What is sad?" Kei asked.

"You can't feel sadness either?" Ed asked her in return. Kei looked at him, very surprised. She couldn't feel _another_ emotion!

"Really?! I am not right! I need to feel those... those emotions!" she shouted angrily. Winry looked confused and shocked. Ed felt bad for her, so he let her in on the secret the three shared.

"Um, Winry? Kei can't feel pain, and apparently she can't feel sadness, either. We don't really know why, but I think it might have something to do with the way Kei can do alchemy. She only needs to clap, like me," Ed explained.

"Yeah, we're also going to try and figure out where she came from. She can't remember anything before her life in the mountains," Al added.

"Oh, okay," Winry said. She felt bad for Kei. Why couldn't she feel the emotions that everyone else could? It wasn't fair, and Winry wanted to help her new friend.

"We also think that the key to getting our bodies back might also work for getting her emotions back. If she was involved in human transmutation as an infant," Ed said, explaining his theory. "We'll take her with us on our search, since she's involved, too."

"Human... transmutation?" Kei wondered aloud.

Suddenly, she was standing in a white room. The being in front of her was crying, and Kei didn't know what to do. Was that sadness? The being, which she instantly remembered was life, the universe, and herself, got up. A wicked smile appeared on its face as it spoke.

"You want to remember? You really want to? Well, I'll show you," it whispered to her. For some reason, Kei instantly felt worried. Something wasn't right, and she knew she had to get out of there.

Kei was covered in a cold feeling, like a pail of icy water was dumped on her. She felt as if she was floating, and a scene appeared before her eyes. Someone with a black cloak was carrying a baby through a forest.

The baby was wailing, probably crying for some unknown parent. Kei felt sorry for the child, wishing peace for the little creature. The figure vanished into the shadows, and the baby's cries slowly disappeared.

The scene shifted, changing to show a dark room. On the floor, a large, complex transmutation circle was drawn. A man, holding the same infant, placed one hand on the transmutation circle. Next, he placed the baby on the transmutation circle.

Kei knew that it was bad. For some reason, she got really, incredibly angry at the person in the cloak. Even though she couldn't affect her surroundings, she attempted to prevent what happened next.

As the man put his second hand on the circle, leaving the baby there, a bright blue light flared up from the complex transmutation formula. The pan in the middle of it all was glowing brightly, as if it had wanted to light up the room even more. Everything happened in one large flash.

When the smoke cleared, there was a being in the middle of the transmutation circle that clearly wasn't human. It was coughing and wheezing, occasionally letting out a moan of despair. Whatever the man had been trying to create, it wasn't that.

The man stood up, covered in blood. He looked over at the baby, who didn't seem to have anything wrong. Kei was relieved to see it, too, and she then turned to face the man again.

What she didn't expect was what he had lost from that attempt at the forbidden human transmutation. One of his arms was missing, along with part of his shoulder. He was bleeding heavily from the wounds on that arm, in addition to the fact that two of the fingers on the right hand were missing.

"_Oh no, no, no, no, no," _ the man said. "_This can't be happening. Tell me this didn't just happen!" _He paused for a moment, bandaging his gaping wounds. "_Well, at least my daughter will survive this. I have to get her out of here, or no one will find her."_

Kei was a little startled. Daughter? That would explain why he had the baby in the first place. She watched as the man bundled up the little girl and left with her. Kei followed him until he had reached the edge of the path next to the forest.

Setting the baby down, he smiled. "_With this, you will be safe. Some traveler will come along and protect you, my darling daughter,"_ he whispered softly. The gentle voice got weaker as he talked, explaining all the things to look forward to, until it finally died out.

The man fell backwards with a thud, and Kei knew he was dead. For the first time in her life, tears came to her eyes, and she felt an immense hollowness in her. That person was one of her parents. He was an alchemist. He had died.

The forest scene gradually faded back to the blank white that she had encountered when she first arrived there. The black, crying figure of Truth was sitting in front of her again, and she had stopped crying. Anger filled her to the brim, causing her to lash out at Truth.

"You wanted to remember, didn't you?" Truth said joyfully. "Didn't you get what you wanted? I won't show it to you again, you know." Truth then laughed gleefully, enjoying the anger in Kei's expression.

"Yeah, I did. Why did you show me that?" Kei asked angrily.

"Because. You wanted to know your past," Truth said, smiling again. It really annoyed Kei to watch him smile like that. He knew everything, and she couldn't change that, but she sure as hell could try to.

"Send me back. I've seen enough, I don't care about the rest." Kei crossed her arms around her waist, making a little pouty face.

"Fine. Just don't come crying back to me," Truth said, and then paused. "Oh wait, you can't! See you around, then!"

"I hope I never see you again!" Kei shouted in response.


End file.
